Your best and worst sounding driver

[rbpwrx]

Bump. I grew up on persimmon, and would LOVE to find something that sounds (and feels) anything close to it. What sounds like wood, preferably sub-420cc?

 

My best, to date:

Titey 983E and 905S

T-M 510TP and R7QuadTP

 

Worst:

Srixon ZR-600

Too bad, b/c it's a good-performing deep-faced JDM driver a lot of Japanese pros played, back in the day. (I'm sure there are way worse sounds out there, guess I've just been spoiled by my 350-400cc classics.)

[3PuttLefty]

Nobody said the Callaway c4 for worst sound?? Sounded like a broken whiffleball bat.

[kthomas]

I'm fairly agnostic on driver sounds.

 

However, the square Nike drivers are by far the most offensive that I've currently encountered.

[SwingMan]

The worst sound since I've played golf consistently since 1995 is the 

 

Nike Sumo 2 (the second version of their square driver) It was the loud sound of an obnoxious trash can that you could hear all across a golf range.

 

 

[nitram]

Best: Callaway FT-9TA

Worst: Cobra L4V

[Scootre]

I think my current Epic Speed TD is the best sounding driver I've played. 

I had a "Boxer" Adams driver back during the square driver craze 15+ years ago, remember it being loud. 

[mudmarlin]

I can’t say what the best sounding driver  I have hit is because Im pretty neutral on sound unless it is really bad, and the one example that stood out above the rest was the Callaway X460.  Not even close.  So bad.

[the bishop]

Older - TM R9 had a pleasant sound I seem to recall.  Same for Titleist 910.

More recent - TEE C722 has an addictive sound and feel.

 

Worst - A component head most here never heard of or remembers - Acer XP905 (Hireko).  Impressive.  And not in a good way.

[Eesh]

On 9/2/2020 at 10:56 AM, jar59 said:

My vote is for the Cleveland HiBore XL.

Is that for vote for the worst sounding?   I loved my HiBore XL but man that thing was ear piercing.   Almost made a guy want to wear earplugs. 

[Anser3]

Best:  Original Ping Rapture

Worst:  I have used a Cobra ss427, Cobra Comp 454, TM R5, Ping Rapture, Callaway Big Bertha Alpha, Ping g30, G400, G425, G430.  None are offensive to me.  The worst I ever heard was the Nike Sasquatch Sumo SQ . I never used one but the sound was terrible with that.  It sounded like the driver broke every time contact was made. 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Anser3

[Kai Slater]

The best sounding driver I ever had was a Louisville Golf Persimmon and it's 7-wood counterpart.  

[rbpwrx]

I know it's not a driver, but the best sounding club I ever heard that was not a raw blade was the Titleist 585H hybrid. God that thing sounded wonderful. Almost persimmony. And paired with a nice X100, high, soft flight, and plenty long. I still remember how mad the local long driver was when I scooted one past him on 18. By 30 yards! He still won't look at me. 

[Kai Slater]

Can I add another to this list?  Although not technically a big driver, back in the day, I had a 13* Cleveland Quadpro that was a banger!!  When pured, it had one of the best sounds in all of golf.  The longest drive I ever hit in my entire life was with a Quadpro fairway wood, the 17*.....a 379 yard BOMB!!!  I hit that ball years ago, but still hear that sound in my memory.

 

Nowadays, my Callaway Epic Speed driver has a great sound.

 

As for the worst sounding driver, I cain't tell you that, since sound is subject to individual opinion.  I don't fool with bad sounding drivers!!!  One reason I steered clear of the Ping G425 was that awful sound.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Kai Slater

[mister2cool]

Worst sounding, without a doubt Nike Sumo2. It is so loud that my ears would ring if someone hit it 3 stalls from me at driving range. Makes you wonder if their engineer tested it at gun range where ear protections are required. 

 

Best sounding,.. to me, ironically it's Nike Vapor Flex 440. The blue and black one. Prior to this driver, I always like Taylormade's driver with its higher pitched impact sound vs muffled sound from Titleist. The Flex made almost no sound, at least nothing that sounded like a golf ball impact. Best I can describe it is the sound of you hear at a tennis match.. it's more a whaaaash than a bang . It was extremely odd at first but quickly grew on me. So much so that I could no longer stand any driver that makes any significant amount sound at impact.

[Kai Slater]

I wonder what is the most "quiet" driver out there?  I think it would be cool to take a big swing, contact the ball with virtually no sound, while sending the ball out there down the fairway.

[gs1184]

Callaway FTiz and Nike Sumo sq were probably the worst sounding drivers I ever heard. 
 

best sounding: titleist 975J, ping g10, Callaway rogue, callaway paradigm triple diamond

 

Callaway has probably had the best and worst sounding drivers over history.

[SatchelRuaz]

Going to date myself a bit, but...

 

Best: Ping TiSI Tec

Worst: Nike Sasquatch

 

I played that Ping Driver for years as a junior golfer. Started off with a 12 degree when I was about 10 years old, went down to 10 and then 8.5 as I got older. It was essentially the only sound I knew for a driver for 7-8 years. It's been very hard to adjust to other sounds later in life. Sounds weird, but it's true. 

[Kacy]

Recent:

 

best - Callaway Rogue (and I don’t like Callaway)

 

worst - ping g425 max

[2Down]

Best,  Macgregor eye o matic meets titleist balata. Comics would say CRAthWAP or something similar.  
newer titliest 975

now ping 430. Max. Love it. 
 

worst was a square head Nike.   Had to move to the farthest point from it at the range when one showed up.  Bet those who had one suffered some hearing loss. 

Edited September 7, 2023 by 2Down
Opps

[Pleasedwith3putts]

Worst has to be Nike Sumo 2 with an honourable mention to G425 MAX which is horrible

 

Best for me Taylormade TP510 followed by Bridgestone J33r

[TKS]

The Wishon 719MW model is unique in impact sound, it can go from sounding like persimmon to a loud report and everything in between. Depends on the weight in the face side port. 

[blades_are_life]

3 hours ago, rbpwrx said:

I know it's not a driver, but the best sounding club I ever heard that was not a raw blade was the Titleist 585H hybrid. God that thing sounded wonderful. Almost persimmony. And paired with a nice X100, high, soft flight, and plenty long. I still remember how mad the local long driver was when I scooted one past him on 18. By 30 yards! He still won't look at me. 

So I looked this up having never heard and found @iacas old review; my conclusion is that it is 915H except with the sound as strength rather than a (minor) weakness, which must make it a truly magical club.

[rbpwrx]

1 hour ago, blades_are_life said:

So I looked this up having never heard and found @iacas old review; my conclusion is that it is 915H except with the sound as strength rather than a (minor) weakness, which must make it a truly magical club.

Yeah, I still have one. I'm gonna pull it out and put it up against my TS2 with vintage VS Proto "ByYou" 95X. We'll see who wins.

[st1800e]

Best ‘18 Rogue, worst, ‘18 Rogue after it cracked……

[blades_are_life]

4 hours ago, rbpwrx said:

Yeah, I still have one. I'm gonna pull it out and put it up against my TS2 with vintage VS Proto "ByYou" 95X. We'll see who wins.

Make a thread about it!

[mister2cool]

11 hours ago, Kai Slater said:

I wonder what is the most "quiet" driver out there?  I think it would be cool to take a big swing, contact the ball with virtually no sound, while sending the ball out there down the fairway.

 

I don't think I have ever heard anything even remotely close to being quiet like Nike Vapor Flex 440, the black and blue one. When I first tried it, I literally couldn't tell if I hit hit the ball if it wasn't for the feel of impact. 

[mvvraz]

Worst sounding driver: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond or Paradym Triple Diamond - they're incredibly muted

 

Best sounding - Stealth 2+ probably, impact sounds like an explosion especially in the hands of someone that can actually hit it far *goes in corner and cries* 

 

Favourite sounding club in the bag: TM Stealth 5 wood, the ball sounds like it's getting fried mid air

[NevadaGolfGuy]

Best: Callaway FT Tour and cleveland classic xl custom with hotmelt

 

Worst: Cobra L4V (Absolutely epic amazing head but the loudest most obnoxious sound) and Square Nike SQ

[Georgie Z]

Ping wins for the worst feeling clubs I’ve ever hit

[launcher]

On 9/8/2023 at 2:19 AM, mister2cool said:

 

I don't think I have ever heard anything even remotely close to being quiet like Nike Vapor Flex 440, the black and blue one. When I first tried it, I literally couldn't tell if I hit hit the ball if it wasn't for the feel of impact. 

Tried to get one when Nike abandoned the golf equipment industry. They were in such short supply. I believe the flex had quality issues though, with the carbon portion separating. Could have been fixed though. Always despised anything Nike, but did get a Vapor Fly so cheap I couldn't pass it up. Oddly enough, I thought it was a fantastic driver.